ESU News THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Creating global understanding through English ISSUE No. 115 MARCH 2004
Debating gains ground in London Schools
Contents Prince Radu Lecture . . . . . . . . . . .Page 2
One of the most important ESU initiatives last year was the launch of the ESU London Debate Challenge, organised by the Centre for Speech and Debate.
Lindemann Scholarships . . . . . . .Page 2 World Members’ Conference . . . . . . . .Page 3 ESU Conference in Strasbourg . . . . . .Page 3 Primary School Debate Programme . . . . . . .Page 3 Mongolian Evening . .Page 4 ESU Madagascar . . .Page 4 Diary Dates . . . . . .Page 5/6 85th Anniversary Video Order Form . . .Page 7 Please help the ESU . . . . . . . . . . .Page 8
Above: ESU London Debate Challenge students preparing for a debate at Dartmouth House.
The London Debate Challenge works with teachers and pupils across the Capital, helping to set up debating societies within their schools. It also helps prepare pupils to enter a team from their school in a competition to find the best debate team in London. The Programme is supported by The London Challenge, Coca-Cola Great Britain, The Sir John Cass’s Foundation and, in the
first year, Tesco. ESU Chairman, Lord Watson, points out that this sponsorship is possible because companies and Foundations see the huge significance of establishing debating in London schools;
"This is bringing debating skills, with all the freedom and power of expression involved, to young people who often have no background of public speaking. It gives them the confidence to express arguments and make their case in a coherent and disciplined way. The Programme helps to build citizenship from the bottom up."
Since the launch of the initiative in October 2003, the ESU’s team of London Debate Challenge Mentors has delivered workshops to pupils from the Boroughs of Croydon, Hammersmith & Fulham and Westminster. Many more are planned for the coming term in areas including Southwark, Bromley and Lambeth. To accompany the workshops, resources have been sent to every state secondary school in London. A series of professional development sessions for teachers have been arranged for every Borough, which will raise the standard of debating in the competitions that are being organised. Comments Debbie Newman, Head of the Centre for Speech and Debate, "Feedback from the teachers and pupils involved has been overwhelmingly positive. The number of pupils who have said that they feel it has built their confidence has been particularly rewarding for the ESU team and the university students involved in mentoring."
Above: ESU London Debate Challenge Mentors.
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